Tax Tip Newsletter
IRA charitable donations: An alternative to taxable required distributions
Are you a charitably minded individual who is also taking distributions from a traditional IRA? You may want to consider the tax advantages of making a cash donation to an IRS-approved charity out of your IRA. When distributions are taken directly out of traditional IRAs, federal income tax of up to 37% in 2022 will have to be paid. State income taxes may also be owed. Qualified charitable distributions One popular way to transfer IRA assets to charity is via a tax provision that allows IRA owners who are age 70½ or older to direct up to $100,000 per year
The 401(k) contribution limit will increase in 2022
The IRS recently announced that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans will increase in 2022. The tax agency has also announced other cost‑of‑living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and retirement-related items for tax year 2022. Let’s look at some highlights. Rising limit First and foremost, the contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b) and most 457 plans, as well as the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan, will increase to $20,500. That’s up from $19,500 in 2020 and 2021. The catch-up contribution limit for employees age 50 and over who participate in the plans mentioned remains
Retiring soon? Recent law changes may have an impact on your retirement savings
If you’re approaching retirement, you probably want to ensure the money you’ve saved in retirement plans lasts as long as possible. If so, be aware that a law was recently enacted that makes significant changes to retirement accounts. The SECURE Act, which was signed into law in late 2019, made a number of changes of interest to those nearing retirement. You can keep making traditional IRA contributions if you’re still working Before 2020, traditional IRA contributions weren’t allowed once you reached age 70½. But now, an individual of any age can make contributions to a traditional IRA, as long as
2021 individual taxes: Answers to your questions about limits
Many people are more concerned about their 2020 tax bills right now than they are about their 2021 tax situations. That’s understandable because your 2020 individual tax return is due to be filed in less than three months (unless you file an extension). However, it’s a good idea to acquaint yourself with tax amounts that may have changed for 2021. Below are some Q&As about tax amounts for this year. Be aware that not all tax figures are adjusted annually for inflation and even if they are, they may be unchanged or change only slightly due to low inflation. In
Employees: Don’t forget about your FSA funds
Many employees take advantage of the opportunity to save taxes by placing funds in their employer’s health or dependent care flexible spending arrangements (FSAs). As the end of 2020 nears, here are some rules and reminders to keep in mind. Health FSAs A pre-tax contribution of $2,750 to a health FSA is permitted in both 2020 and 2021. You save taxes because you use pre-tax dollars to pay for medical expenses that might not be deductible. For example, they wouldn’t be deductible if you don’t itemize deductions on your tax return. Even if you do itemize, medical expenses must exceed
The QBI deduction basics and a year-end tax tip that might help you qualify
If you own a business, you may wonder if you’re eligible to take the qualified business income (QBI) deduction. Sometimes this is referred to as the pass-through deduction or the Section 199A deduction. The QBI deduction: Is available to owners of sole proprietorships, single member limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships, and S corporations, as well as trusts and estates. Is intended to reduce the tax rate on QBI to a rate that’s closer to the corporate tax rate. Is taken “below the line.” In other words, it reduces your taxable income but not your adjusted gross income. Is available regardless
What tax records can you throw away?
Now that you’re finally done filing last year’s return, you might wonder: Which tax records can you toss out? Now is a good time to go through old tax records and see what you can discard. The general rules At minimum, you should keep tax records for as long as the IRS has the ability to audit your tax return or assess additional taxes, which generally is three years after you file your return. This means you potentially can get rid of most records related to tax returns for 2016 and earlier years. However, the statute of limitations extends to
How Safe and Sound is Your Information?
In today's day and age it seems like there are more and more reports of personal information being compromised. More and more often people's financial information is finding its way into the hands of criminals. As we move past last week's National Security Awareness Week, we must continue to be diligent in making sure our information is safe just as much as we work to care for our personal safety. Please consider these steps to protect yourself from identity thieves: Keep Your Computer and Mobile Phone Secure • Use security software and make sure it updates automatically; essential tools include:
Year-End Tax Reminders
Need a last minute gift for the hard to shop for person......how about some year-end tax tip reminders! Manage your Capital Gains and Losses - Talk to your broker/investment adviser to get an estimate of gains and losses, including projected taxable Review any potential sales before year end to take advantage of the capital gains o Review any potential stock option plans. Year-end Charitable Contributions - Donations prior to year-end can help reduce o Donor-advised funds may be a great alternative. Planning for 2020 donations using retirement accounts starts Retirement Planning - 401(k) limits are $19,000 per year for 2019
Wisconsin Sales & Use Taxes – Are You Ready for 2020?
As we near the end of 2019 and 2020 rapidly approaches, we find our Accounting Services Department busy getting ready for the changes ahead. The end of the year means finalizing payroll reports and sales tax filings along with year-end bookkeeping and numerous other work for our accounting services clients. But, it also means bringing our clients up to speed on the changes for the year to come. For 2020, one such change is in the area of Wisconsin Sales Taxes. For what seems like an eternity, Wisconsin has had various additional city/local/additional taxes above and beyond our base 5%
